glass

Overview

Meaning Now

• A hard, brittle, transparent substance made by fusing silica with soda or potash.
• A container made of glass, such as a drinking vessel.
• A lens or piece of glass used for viewing, such as eyeglasses or a magnifying glass.
• A mirror.

Journey

The term's connection to 'amber' suggests that early Germanic speakers used the same word for any translucent, precious, or yellowish substance before the widespread production of silica-based glass.

Evolution

1. Proto-Germanic

   *glasą

   “amber or a shining substance”

   Likely related to the color of amber or yellowish gems.

2. Old English

   glæs

   “glass, amber”

   Used for both the material and the precious substance.

3. Middle English

   glace / glas

   “glass, mirror”

   Expansion of meaning to include mirrors and drinking vessels.

Connections

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Related to glass

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